The Nigerian Army has uncovered and apprehended an alleged impostor, Tijjani Abdul-Rauf, who falsely paraded himself as a retired Major General, misleading the public and abusing the prestige of the military institution.

The army, in a statement on Thursday by the acting director, army public eelations, Col. Appolonia Anele, said investigations confirmed that Mr Abdul-Rauf was never commissioned into the Nigerian Army and never attained the rank of a general or retired from the service in any capacity.

Ms Anele said the suspect also falsely claimed to have attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, and to be a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

“All these claims have been conclusively confirmed to be entirely false and fabricated,” the army said.

She added that the suspect allegedly exploited the false credentials to intimidate unsuspecting civilians, including during court proceedings where he presented himself as a retired senior military officer to command undue respect and influence.

Ms Anele disclosed that during interrogation, media reports from two national newspapers were recovered in which the suspect was repeatedly described as a “retired Maj.-Gen.”

“One of the reports by Premium Times identified him as “Major General AbdulRauf Tijjani (rtd)” in a suit he instituted against the Lagos State Government and others, seeking N8 billion in damages.

“Another report by the Independent Newspaper dated Nov. 9, 2020, also referred to him as a retired Maj.-Gen. while reporting his appeal against the dismissal of the same suit, which the court had described as incompetent and a gross abuse of court process,” she said.

Ms Anele said that no retired officer of the Nigerian Army bears the name Tijjani Abdul-Rauf, nor had any officer with such identity ever held the rank of Major General or above within the service.

She condemned the act of impersonation, describing it as a grave offence that undermines public trust and tarnishes the honour of officers who have genuinely served the nation with distinction.

Ms Anele reiterated army’s commitment to protecting the integrity of its ranks, honours and institutions, adding that it would continue to collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure that impostors are brought to justice.

She urged members of the public to verify claims of military status through appropriate channels and report suspicious representations to security agencies. 

(NAN)